It Could Never Be, Anyways
by Idellechi
Summary: One of Keron's most esteemed generals spends a final night with his star-crossed lover. (OC Centered, No canon.)


The experienced soldier lay in bed, holding a beautiful young woman close, who was fast asleep. He caressed her small frame, and glanced over the cuts that had accumulated on her fragile form from an outburst of jealousy the man had earlier. He had seen his beloved talking to a man who was a stranger to their manor, where they lived in isolation from the rest of the world. He wasn't retired, no, but they were in a period of peace for once, and the general's days had been slow and easy. Although he barely spoke to anyone outside his platoon or the house of Royals, he was satisfied. All he needed in life, he knew- was the woman now lying with him on the bed with satin sheets.

He hadn't always known how much she meant to him. There were times, if you look far enough into the past, he treated her as inhuman- for the girl was only a slave in his eyes, all those years ago. A rank the government had cursed upon the orphan who had turned to crime to survive. There were times when she'd be beaten daily, and the general's heart was as cold as ice during those times. Then one night, the girl had ran away, unable to deal with the constant pain.

The first few days didn't phase the general much at all, but time moved on and he found himself thinking of her at every moment. He couldn't stand it, and he was unable to work. His mind focusing solely on the girl he had so badly mistreated. They say you never know what you have until it is gone. This applies to people just as well as objects, of which she was both to him in that confused state. Several months went by, and his platoon was terribly concerned. The princess, who was infatuated with the general, was ecstatic, and took every opportunity to remind him that the girl was gone, she had left him, she had never loved him, and he would be much better off with someone else; someone with power and status and money, the things that used to matter to the commander. Used to.

The princess had thought that her words were driving him further from the runaway slave and closer to herself. She couldn't have been more wrong, for it only made the general more lonely and regretful. He would pray each day for her safe return, and for her to forgive him. He prayed for forgiveness, although he knew it be impossible. The heavens may forgive him, but she, never would. As much as she would say she'd forgiven him, he knew deep down there was nothing consensual in their relationship and that she would never forgive the wrongs he'd done unto her. He had caused more bloodshed and tears from that one girl than from entire battles he'd fought. He had scarred her, inside and out. Her body was branded from the marks of society's vengeance. But the worst wrongdoing of all, was something he'd taken and can never return. He had taken her innocence, stolen it from her. All of the disciplinarians thought it was a just punishment for a thief at the time. The corruption in the government of this planet ran deep, and it had caused her to suffer greatly.

Still, the man held her tightly, whispering words to her. Although she could not hear, it comforted himself to at least pretend, pretend to confess his desires. Desires that were criminal in this society. He spoke of a forbidden love, between a high-ranking soldier and one who was deemed lower than a servant- a piece of property, a tool to use and then abandon. And abandon he knew, he must, for their time together was running short. All of the army's top medics had predicted that, due to stress on her body and mind, the girl wouldn't live past the age of thirty, and she was now twenty-seven. She had been in his care- his mercy (or lack of it), for fifteen years. And to the greedy general, that wasn't nearly enough. Although, was it really greed, as his subordinates thought? Or perhaps, a true sense of regret and longing, all while knowing there was no hope. But is it what he deserved, for abusing her?

None of his advisors had thought so. Infact, the only one that thought what he was feeling was some for of karma, was himself. He had regretted his crimes to her as she had regretted her crimes to the people of their planet. He had longed for her to be with him, for him to have the freedom to have a relationship with her. Exactly as she had longed to be free from him. He had no hope, knowing she was growing weaker and weaker as the days passed. Exactly as she had no hope that the pain would stop. For it had been, literally beaten into her, that she was going to suffer until death, and suffer for an infinity more as she was burned in the flames of the underworld. The suffering would never end, for her crimes were far too terrible for any mercy.

"If-" he paused, listening to the silence of the room, before continuing. "If only we lived in a perfect world. Then, I could have you all to myself. If only things were perfect, I could use all the money I have to pardon you for your crimes. You would be free, we would be equals." He honestly was scared of freeing her, for what if she decided to leave him? He had thought this over many times, staying up each night after she had taken the pills required for her to sleep. He knew that, no matter where she decided to go, she deserved her freedom after all these years. "Then, the two of us would be wedded instantly. And then we'd retire to a manor on the countryside." He paused once more, envisioning the scene in his mind. "In a year, you'd have bared my children. I can just imagine them- they'd be as beautiful as you, certainly. With your eyes, and hopefully your smile, as rare as I see it. I'd sit beside you, as you'd nurse them, and they'd grow strong. I would teach them well, and they'd go off to become brilliant soldiers. And you and I would spend the rest of our lives together." He paused, as he felt tears form in the corner of his eyes. "I, I would never hurt you again. You'd never need to work another day in your life, I'd hire servants for the chores and work. I just wish you'd still cook me dinner every once in a while." Before he knew it, the tears were streaming down his face. Not even as a young boy had he'd cried like this before.

"But, but, it can't. It can never be, it's forbidden, and even if we were allowed to, you're-" he stopped, feeling her heartbeat slow. "You're dying." He barely made out that last word. His lips gently touched hers, as he gave one final kiss.


End file.
